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AUTHOR:
TerrorismCentral Editorial Staff

TITLE:
TerrorismCentral Newsletter - March 26, 2006

SOURCE:
TerrorismCentral, March 26, 2006

TEXT:

The "Iraqi Perspective Project" shows what Saddam Hussein and leading figures in his regime were thinking ahead of the US-led invasion, but news from this week describes what is happening on the ground as we enter the fourth year of this seminal war. In addition to the Middle East, the Newsletter reports on key events from elsewhere around the world related to terrorism and political violence, how these events are financed, and ways to mitigate the risks or recover from incidents.


CONTENTS:

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK:

1. Global Terrorism Monitor
2. Political Risk Monitor
3. AML/CFT Monitor
4. Emerging Threat Monitor
5. Critical Infrastructure Monitor
6. Disaster Reduction Monitor
7. Recommended Reading
8. Asset Management Network News


1. Global Terrorism Monitor

The Global Terrorism Monitor is a monthly 16-page print publication. News highlights from the past week are provided in this free email update, but detailed analysis, background information and source documents are only available to subscribers. For subscription information, emailinfo@tamni.com.

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GTM Africa
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Burundi National Liberation Forces (FNL) rebel group remains the sole holdout from the peace process. This remaining security issue may be addressed if the government is able to proceed with an FNL offer to negotiate without preconditions. Nonetheless, the situation remains precarious, and addressing the economic situation, further damaged by recurring drought, is essential.

Central African Republic (CAR) troops have been systematically killing men and boys suspected of participating in rebel groups or acts of banditry since late February. There has been massive civilian displacement, including 50,000 internally and more than 7,000 in Chad.

Democratic Republic of Congo's army reports that two stations were attacked and taken over by Congolese Revolutionary Movement militias, then retaken the next day with UN assistance.

Guinea Bissau troops continued attacking rebels from the Movement of the Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC), in Senegal. Fighting in and around a border town was sparked the night of the 14th when MFDC attempted to purchase weapons across the border. Although casualties are unknown, at least 5,000 people have been displaced. Travel is closed, and the border forests have been mined.

Nigeria's Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) continues acts of sabotage against foreign oil installations that have led both to rising oil prices and falling national incomes. MEND has threatened to kill the three foreigners still held in captivity if military action is taken against them.

Somali militia leaders allied in the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counterterrorism have engaged in heavy fighting with an armed Islamist group that favors Sharia law. In three days of fighting, at least 70 people were killed, many more were injured, and large numbers displaced. Mortars are responsible for many of the casualties. The worst fighting in more than a decade raises fears that this could be the beginning of a battle between the pro-Sharia militia that supports al Qaeda, and US-backed rivals. Somalia is a failed state that has had no national government for 15 years. Reports today say that the militia leaders currently in control are reviewing a ceasefire proposed by the Islamic militia, and will respond next week.

Having failed to end fighting and genocide in the Sudan, it is spreading to Chad, where Sudan-government backed Janjaweed militias have extended operations across the border. Chad has launched an army offensive against militias and two rebel groups that operate in the south. However, the situation has weakened President Idriss Deby. Although an attempted coup failed last week, the country's political stability is greatly weakened. Deby himself had seized power in 1990 by launching a rebellion from Darfur. A lack of reconstruction and continued political dispute over Shari law threaten a return to a broader conflict across southern Sudan.
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GTM Americas
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In Bolivia's capital, La Paz, a bomb at the Linares hotel, near government headquarters, went off on Tuesday night, killing a young couple. Hours later another hotel exploded, but there were no further personal casualties. A US man, Triston Jay Amero and his companion, Uruguayan Ala Riberiro, have been arrested. The incident escalated when Bolivian President Evo Morales suggested that the explosion had been supported by the US to undermine his socialist administration, charges the US denies.
http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID=%7BFCD7D8BF-EE57-43BB-A046-3CF737CEF89C%7D)&language=EN
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-dynamite26mar26,0,3722073.story?coll=la-home-world

Victor Polay Campos, leader of the Marxist rebel group Revolutionary Movement Tupac Amaru (MRTA), was found guilty in Peruvian court of dozens of crimes committed between 1984 and 1996, including kidnappings and armed assaults. He has been sentenced to 32 years in prison. Four of his colleagues were also sentenced to long prison terms. They also must pay $15 million for damage and injuries they activities caused.

Puerto Rico's Justice Department has sued the US for allegedly obstruction their investigation into the death of independence activist Filiberto Ojeda Rios, who was shot dead by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) last September.
http://www.justicia.gobierno.pr/opdetail.aspx?cn=19 (in Spanish)
http://www.justicia.gobierno.pr/demfed06/Preliminary_Memorandum_of_Law_in_Support_of_the_Complaint_Filiberto_Docketed.pdf
http://www.justicia.gobierno.pr/demfed06/Exhibits_AtoF_to_the_Complaint_Filiberto_Docketed.pdf
http://www.justicia.gobierno.pr/demfed06/Exhibits_GtoP_to_the_Complaint_Filiberto_Docketed.pdf
http://www.justicia.gobierno.pr/demfed06/Complaint_Filiberto_Docketed.pdf
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GTM Asia Pacific
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Indonesian counterterrorism police officer Petrus Reinhold Golose reports that Abu Dujana has become the leader of Jemaah Islamiah.
http://www.laksamana.net/news_read.php?gid=151
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-indonesia-militant-leader,1,7008146.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines

A workers' camp at the Newmont mine in Indonesia was attacked and razed, in the latest protest against the US gold mine and other Western mining and energy interests in the country. Warned in advance, the camp was evacuated without casualties. Foreign investment is essential to Indonesia, but the local populations have received scant benefits while suffering loss of livelihood, economic and environmental damage.

In Japan, Aum Shrinrikyo cult founder Shoko Asahar's attorneys missed a deadline to appeal his death sentence while arguing he was mentally unfit. A court psychiatric review ruled instead that he was competent to stand trial. The Tokyo High Court now must decide whether to permit the appeal or reject it, in which case his death sentence would stand.
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GTM Europe
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Spain has charged 32 suspected Islamic militants with membership of a terrorist organization, conspiracy, and document forgery in connection with an alleged plot to blow up the National Court in Madrid. One of these charges was the alleged mastermind, Mohamed Achraf, from Morocco, who is accused of setting up a new group, Martyrs for Morocco.

Basque separatist group ETA has announced a permanent ceasefire, ending four decades of armed conflict that killed more than 800 people.
http://www.eitb24.com/portal/eitb24/noticia/en/politics/-etas-full-communique?itemId=D20664&cl=%2Feitb24%2Fpolitica&idioma=en

Turkey is trying more than 70 people suspected of involvement in a series of suicide bombings in 2003 that killed 52 people. Luai Sakra is one of the accused. He is charged with masterminding and financing the al-Qaeda linked attacks. As the trial opened, his behavior was disruptive and he was thrown out of court. His lawyer was charged with aiding and abetting al Qaeda and thereby banned from representing Sakra.

Jawad Akbar, Salahuddin Amin, Anthony Garcia, Nabeel Hussain, Omar Khyam, Shujah Mahmood, and Waheed Mahmoud have gone on trial in England on charges connected with planning a UK bombing campaign. They all deny conspiring with Canadian Mohammed Momin Khawaja and other unknown persons to "cause by explosive substances an explosion or explosions of a nature likely to endanger life", between 1 January 2003 and 31 March 2004. Alleged US co-conspirator Mohammed Babar, who previously pled guilty to terrorism offenses in the US, will be one of the prosecution witnesses.

The trial of Leonard Joseph Hardy, from Northern Ireland, has opened in Germany. He is charged with attempted murder over the 1989 Irish Republican Army (IRA) bomb attack on a British army base in Germany and with deliberately causing an explosion at Quebec barracks in Osnabruck. He was arrested in Spain last August and extradited to Germany in January.
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GTM Middle East
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In Gaza, violence between Palestinian security forces and armed militias injured seven people, while Israeli operations on Thursday killed two Palestinian militants.

The third anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq was marked by further attacks. As a major Shiite religious ritual began, a spate of bombings and shootings killed at least 22 people. On Tuesday, up to 100 insurgents attacked a police station in Miqdadiya. About 30 prisoners were freed, while 10 attackers and at lest 20 people were killed. Wednesday four Iraqi police commandos were killed in a mortar attack on a government office south of Baghdad, police say. Another police attack, car bombings, and other incidents, mostly sectarian in nature, killed at least 56 Iraqis on Thursday. Amid the carnage, British-led forces freed three hostages: two Canadians and a Briton seized last November. Insurgent attacks in Baghdad on Friday left seven dead, including three policemen. In addition, a bomb planted outside a Sunni mosque in Khalis killed five Iraqis and injured 17. This weekend, US troops and militants associated with Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr clashed, leaving at least 18 Iraqis dead. There have been many other incidents, many pitting Shia against Sunnis, since the Samarra bombing in February.

Lebanon's representative of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC) in Lebanon, Anwar Raja, said the militant faction would agree to become subject to the Lebanese Army, similar to their arrangement in Syria.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=23209#

Azzam Abu Al-Ades and Bilal Hafanawi have been charged in a West Bank military court with planning a terrorist attack and membership in al Qaeda. This is the first time Palestinians have been charged with al Qaeda affiliation.

In Jericho, Israeli soldiers shot and killed an Islamic Jihad militant after he refused to surrender. Two other Islamic Jihad were arrested.
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GTM South Asia
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Afghan forces report that fighting in Kandahar province killed at least 16 Taleban from Pakistan, while local residence say those killed were local tribesmen traveling to a religious festival. Pakistan has protested the killing, and the incident is being investigated. In Helmand, a US soldier was killed and two other soldiers, one an Afghan and another from the US, were injured, in fighting with the Taleban.

In the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, a landmine planted by Maoist rebels exploded as a vehicle carrying security forces passed. Two policemen were killed and ten were injured. A second incident occurred at the end of the week, in which a landmine blew up a jeep carrying traders, killing 13 and injuring four. The vehicle may have been mistaken for a police carrier.

In Orissa state on Friday, Maoist rebels raided a jail. During the attack, two policemen and three rebels were killed, and 35 Maoist prisoners were set free Later that day,  hundreds of tribal people attacked the site of a steel mill, injuring nearly 40, mostly plant staff.

Nepal's security forces launched an offensive against Maoist rebels in a western district of Kathmandu that killed 20 rebels. Fighting in the southeast killed 14 policemen and two rebels. On Wednesday fierce fighting between security forces and rebels killed more than 30 people. The same day a nature conservation trust run by King Gyanendra's son was bombed by suspected Maoist rebels.

Pakistan security forces operating in North Waziristan report they killed at least 15 militants. A bombing in a Balochistan market killed one and injured 13. Clashes with security forces today killed at least three people.

Abdul Halim and Muhammad Aslam were sentenced to death in Pakistan court, for last year's bombing of a Shia shrine south of Quetta in Balochistan. Three associates were sentenced to life in prison for the same attack, which killed 47 people.

Sri Lanka's navy and Tamil Tiger rebels clashed off the northeast port of Trincomalee, and injured two rebels and five civilians. Monitors are investigating the incident. On Saturday, Tamil Tigers on board a trawler blew it up as the navy approached to investigate possible gunrunning. Six Tamil Tigers were killed, 11 rescued, and eight are still missing.


2. Political Risk Monitor

The Political Risk Monitor is a monthly 16-page print publication. News highlights from the past week are provided in this free email update, but detailed analysis, background information and source documents are only available to subscribers. For subscription information, email info@tamni.com.

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PRM Africa
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Benin's electoral commission has announced that former banker Yayi Boni is the new president, winning almost 75 percent of the votes in the run-off election. Election monitors said the vote was largely free and fair despite some irregularities.

Democratic Republic of Congo is working through the logistical nightmares presented by elections scheduled for June. The EU has agreed to provide troops that will act as a rapid reaction force during the elections. So far opposition protests have been peaceful. Opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi demands additional voter registration, but he is one of the leading politicians that failed to meet the deadline for candidate registration. The deadline has been extended for ten days, since only 100 people had paid the necessary fee to run for the 500-seat parliament.

Gabon police raided the headquarters of opposition party Gabonese People's Union (UGP), following weekend demonstrations against the high cost of living. UGC leader Pierre Mamboundou has gone into hiding.

Several Gambian army officers have been arrested or fled the country in connection with a suspected coup plot against President Yahya Jammeh.

Kenya's parliament has opened following a five-month recess. During this time, a corruption scandal unfolded in which 11 cabinet ministers have left government, and a constitutional referendum was defeated.

Morocco has agreed to consult the local population in Western Sahara regarding plans for greater autonomy in the disputed region, where the Polisario Front has fought for independence for more than three decades.

Following regional consultations, Nigeria has agreed to extradite former Liberian President Charles Taylor to Liberia. Details of when or how this would take place have not been explained, and he has not been taken into custody. Taylor is wanted in Sierra Leone on war crimes charges. (Taylor, his 66 aides and family were counted in the Nigerian census.)

Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is conducting its first census since 1991. The census has been fiercely opposed for a variety of entrenched interests that want to protect their current political representation and funding, as well as fears that simmering regional, ethnic, and religious tensions will boil over. Controversial questions about ethnicity and religion were removed from the questionnaire, which does ask questions of education, occupation, income, housing, water and toilet, fuel, and communications. Last weekend, before the counting began, census officials in Katsina state burned down a local council office after finding out they were paid less than in other parts of the country. More seriously, incidents of ethnic violence left at least six people dead last weekend. As the census began, people were told to stay at home for the count, and the final two days of the 5-day census were declared public holidays. There were several incidents in which census officials were attacked. The most serious of these was in the southeast where Biafran separatists with MASSOB had called for a boycott. 27 suspected MASSOB members were arrested. One official was beaten and her car burnt, and another was attacked with acid. In Enugu State, four officials suffered a machete attack. There were a number of other similar incidents. A few cases of false representation and fraud were also reported. At the end of the week, the census was not completed. In some areas, counting had started late, and there were problems with supplies, payments to officials, and insufficient staff. As a result, the count was extended for two days.
National Population Commission:
http://www.population.gov.ng/
The Vanguard (newspaper)
http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/headline/f126032006.html

Nigerian opposition politician Lawai Kaita was detained for questioning and released following a rally the week before that police had broken up with tear gas and arrests. As Kaita asked, "How could an old man like me be recruiting miscreants?" Read his story here:
http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/cover/march06/26032006/f326032006.html
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PRM Americas
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Argentina has marked the 30th anniversary of the military coup that led to the "Dirty War" in which at least 30,000 people were killed, including many that disappeared and have never been recovered. President Kirchner led a ceremony, unveiling a "Never Again" plaque, calling to judicial action to end impunity, and making public the formerly secret national archives. Large crowds have gathered, and there has been a rush of books, plays, art exhibits, and other memorial activities.

Argentines living near the River Uruguay have lifted last month's blockade of border crossings that protested proposed construction of two paper mills in Uruguay, pending an environmental study.

Brazilian police fought drug trafficking gangs in the Imbarie slum, leaving eight local residents dead and one injured. This incident followed the end of a large military deployment undertaken to recover stolen weapons. In Sao Paulo, six prison riots took place last week, including one that led to the deaths of at least seven inmates.

A Chilean judge has ordered 13 former army officers arrested in connection with the 1973 Caravan of Death operation to execute opponents of General Pinochet.

Ecuador declared a state of emergency in five provinces to end blockades placed by indigenous groups opposed to free trade talks in the US. Security forces have removed blockades, which have caused lost trade, food and fuel shortages.

The US Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by a group of Puerto Ricans to give them the right to vote in US presidential elections. Puerto is administered by the US but is not a state

Venezuela's agriculture minister and a subsidiary of British meat producer Vestey have settled a land dispute in which Lord Vestey's AgroFlora subsidiary will keep ten of its farms, while receiving about $4 million for two cattle ranches. This is the first time Venezuela has reached an amicable settlement during its land redistribution program.
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PRM Asia Pacific
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At the Commonwealth Games, 14 athletes from Sierra Leone (more than half the team) have absconded. At the 2002 games in Manchester, 21 went missing. Sierra Leone will not be banned from the games, but the missing athletes have lost their accreditation. If they do not return by midnight today, they will be illegal immigrants, subject to Australia's strict policies against immigration. In addition to the Sierra Leone athletes, a Tanzanian and a Bangladeshi have also disappeared.  

Australia granted temporary visas to 42 of 43 asylum seekers from Indonesia's Papua province. This has sparked a diplomatic row, with Indonesia saying they do not face abuse at the hands of the military, should be returned, and that any grant of asylum would harm relations between the two countries. Indonesia recalled its ambassador to protest the temporary visas. Two Papuan students and a third citizen are seeking political asylum in Papua New Guinea following deadly clashes outside a university on 16 March and subsequent police actions in the province.

The International Crisis Group weighs in with a new report regarding tensions between Papua and the central government in "Papua: The Dangers of Shutting Down Dialogue" They say:
"The Papuan People's Council, the key institution charged with easing tensions between Papuans and Indonesia's central government, may be about to collapse, with grave consequences given the region's current volatility. Created in late October 2005 as the centrepiece of the autonomy deal, the Council was almost immediately confronted with two major crises: stalled talks over the legal status of West Irian Jaya and riots over the giant Freeport mine. If the Council can now manoeuvre its way through the two crises, it may yet be able to take on other outstanding grievances and become what Papua has always lacked, a genuinely representative dialogue partner with Jakarta. If it fails, local resentment against the central government will almost certainly increase. The central government should realise it is in its own interest to help the Council succeed.
http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?l=1&id=4042

Kyrgyzstan has marked the first anniversary of the Tulip Revolution that overthrew President Askar Akayev in favor of a democratic government. 24 March is a new national holiday, but the defeat of nepotism and corruption has failed to improve economic problems or national divisions.
http://www.jamestown.org/images/pdf/Jamestown-TulipRevolution.pdf
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/asia-pacific/4825890.stm

Laos ended the Communist Party congress, held every five years, with an announcement that Laotian President Khamtay Siphandone has stepped down as head of the Communist Party and the politburo. He will be replaced by Vice-President Choummaly Sayasone,(70 years of age). Khamtay may step down as president ahead of April's parliamentary elections.

One week ahead of Thailand's snap elections, massive protests continue, with the goal of forcing Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra from power before the elections. Opposition officials have already submitted evidence of fraud, and plan to boycott the vote. The outcome of elections is unpredictable given the current political crisis and the nature of the electoral system, but risks worsening the situation. Meanwhile, Singapore's embassy and other interests have been the scene of continued protests by Thaksin opponents angry over the tax-free, multi-billion dollar sale of his family's share in a Thai communications company to Singapore. Thaksin's state privatization program has also become tied to claims that his actions are corrupt and present conflicts. Partial privatization of state power company EGAT was blocked when the Supreme Administrative Court said the planned sale was an illegal transfer of a state enterprise to a private company. There have been calls for the King to intervene in the political crisis. The military continues to insist that the situation does not warrant use of force.

The UN refugee agency has been ordered to close its office and leave Uzbekistan within one month.
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PRM Europe
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Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko was re-elected with a reported 82.6 percent of the vote, in a turnout of more than 90 percent, amid widespread accusations of fraud and vote rigging. The process was also severely flawed by harassment and arrest of opposition supporters, biased media, and obstruction of independent monitors. Lukashenko insists that the election was fair and democratic, and demonstrated that foreign attempts to incite revolution had failed. Opposition protests in person and online have taken place, with four senior activists arrested. Police actions continued at the end of the week, erupting in open clashes during large demonstrations on Saturday. The EU and the US are planning to impose sanctions against the crackdown against political opponents.
http://www.osce.org/item/18438.html

The former mayor of Prijedor in northern Bosnia, Milomir Stakic, has had his life sentence for war crimes reduced to 40 years, and his acquittal on charges of genocide was upheld by the international war crimes tribunal's appeals court.
http://www.un.org/icty/stakic/appeal/judgement/sta-summ060322e.htm

Across France large protests against a new labor law continued throughout the week, growing increasingly violent. By the end of the week tens of thousands of students had protested, and many took to the streets in acts of vandalism and other violence. Talks between the prime minister and union leaders are deadlocked.

In Lithuanian court, Algimantas Dailide pleaded not guilty to collaborating with the Nazis and persecuting Jews during World War II. He had fled to the US after the war, but was deported to Germany in 2004.

A Siberian court overturned Oleg Shcherbinsky's 4-year prison sentence for a car accident that killed regional governor Mikhail Yevdokimov, who was traveling at more than 120 km/hr. The case elicited widespread popular support for Shcherbinsky, who was seen as the victim in a system of impunity that allows Russian officials to ignore road laws.

"Conflict Resolution in the South Caucasus: The EU's Role" is a new report from the International Crisis Group that finds:
"The unresolved conflicts in the South Caucasus could ignite into full-fledged wars in Europe's neighbourhood, so to guarantee its own security, the EU must become more engaged in resolving them. Thus far, others have taken the lead in promoting conflict settlement in the region, but over a decade of negotiations led by the UN in Abkhazia and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Nagorno-Karabakh and South Ossetia have failed to produce peace. With its reputation as an 'honest broker', the EU has a greater role to play, and especially since the 2004 enlargement brought the South Caucasus closer, it has strong incentive to get involved. This is a challenge Brussels has, however, only begun to address."
http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=4037&l=1

Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's widow, Mirjana Markovic, failed to appear in a Belgrade court to face charges of abuse of power. Serbia has reimposed an arrest warrant that had been lifted for her to attend her husband's funeral, which she failed to do.

Sweden's Foreign Minister, Laila Freivalds, has resigned. She was found complicit in the ministry's intervention to end a far-right party's plans to publish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad on its website, by contacting the site. This interference was seen to infringe on freedom of speech.
http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/2059

"The Road to Guantanamo" is a film about three British Muslims held at the US detention camp. It has been simultaneously released in the UK on television, cinema, DVD, and download, attracting 1.6 million television viewers. US film distributor Roadside Attractions has now agreed to distribute the film.
http://www.channel4.com/film/newsfeatures/microsites/G/guantanamo/index.html
http://www.berlinale.de/en/programm/berlinale_programm/datenblatt.php?film_id=20061707
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PRM Middle East
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Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmad Nazif announced plans to lift 25-year-old emergency laws and replace them with new counterterrorism legislation.

The EU has provided 64 million Euros in aid for Palestinians. It is being administered by the UN, and was accompanied with a warning that Hamas work towards peace. The Karni crossing in Gaza was briefly opened again, allowing in limited amounts of food but permitting no exports. This has led to serious food shortages and lack of other basic needs among Palestinians.

As Iraq enters its fourth year of war, the battle has shifted from a US-led invasion against Saddam's regime, to a battle between the occupation forces and Sunni insurgents angry at their ouster, and now increasingly to an internecine struggle among the ethnic and religious factions. Refer to "Recommended Reading", below, to see recent publications that shed light on the events from the past three years.

The US has opened a criminal investigation into the death of 15 Iraqi civilians in their homes in the western town of Haditha last November. Initial claims they had died in a roadside bomb was disproved and the investigation is now focusing on whether they were killed by accident or deliberately targeted in a war crime.
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Mar2006/20060317_4526.html
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1174649,00.html

Israel issued an alert along its southern border, then began a series of operations that included 16 flights into Lebanese airspace.
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PRM South Asia
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Afghan President Karzai has reshuffled his cabinet for the first time since autumn elections last year. In the smaller cabinet, Dr Abdullah Abdullah, former foreign minister, has been dropped and replaced by Dr Rangeen Dadfar Spanta. Only one former warlord, Ismail Khan, remains in cabinet, which also has only one woman.

Abdul Rahman was charged in Afghanistan with rejecting Islam for converting to Christianity 16 years ago, an action that is subject to the death penalty. An Afghan judge has returned the case to the attorney general, citing gaps in evidence, and freed Rahman while the case is reviewed.

Sonia Gandhi, India's governing Congress party leader, has resigned from parliament following accusations that she was profiting from another public post, a practice that is forbidden. Her resignation is viewed as a tactic to take the high ground and undermine her opponents before running again.

Nepal's Supreme Court ordered the release of Hridayesh Tripathi, general secretary of the opposition Nepal Sadbhavana Party, following two months of detention. Gopal Man Shrestha, vice president of the Nepali Congress - Democratic, was also released. Madhav Kumar Nepal, general secretary of the Communist Party (Unified Marxist-Leninist) had been held under house arrest for two months but following a police raid on his home, he has been transferred to police detention, and his whereabouts are unknown.

A Pakistan government-backed radio station in South Waziristan was off the air for several days after its antenna was bombed.


3. AML/CFT Monitor

The AML/CFT Monitor is a monthly 16-page print publication. News highlights from the past week are provided in this free email update, but detailed analysis, background information and source documents are only available to subscribers. For subscription information, email info@tamni.com.

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AML/CFT Incidents/Cases
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Fifty leaders of Colombia's Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) rebels have been indicted in the US for drug trafficking that finances terrorist attacks. Remarks from US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) administrator Karen Tandy explain the indictment:
"Americans are responsible for giving the FARC their lifeblood: $25 billion for 2,500 tons of cocaine.... In Colombia, the FARC is second only to oil companies in annual revenue. That cocaine lifeblood allows the FARC to brutally sap the lifeblood of Americans and Colombians...:
--The FARC shoots, stabs, and dismembers alive thousands of Colombians each year, sometimes for something as simple as diluting the purity of the cocaine or selling the cocaine to non-FARC distributors.
--After their victims are dead, FARC guerillas cut open their bodies, fill them with rocks, and sink them in rivers.
--To increase their numbers, the FARC kidnaps or forces children to join their army by threatening them or their families.
--The FARC confiscates farmers’ land and forces them into homeless exile.
--They kidnap and murder U.S. citizens to intimidate us from interfering with their cocaine trafficking.
--And they plot to kidnap, torture, and kill US law enforcement -- in retaliation for investigating them.
http://www.usdoj.gov/ag/speeches/2006/ag_speech_0603221.html
http://www.dea.gov/pubs/pressrel/pr032206a.html

The US Financial Crimes Network (FinCEN) has entered its first enforcement action related to violations of the casino provisions of the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA). In this case, FinCEN determined that Tonkawa Bingo and Casino failed to develop and implement a BSA/AML program, failed to report or retain suspicious records, failed to identify customers, and generally failed to implement any BSA requirements. They will pay penalties of $1.5 million and $1 million respectively.
http://www.fincen.gov/tonkawa_pr.html

Ireland's High Court has provided the Criminal Assets Bureau an order under the Proceeds of Crime Act to seize assets of alleged former Irish Republican Army (IRA) chief of staff Thomas ''Slab'' Murphy, his two brothers (Tom and Frank), and Ace Oils Ltd. More than a million Euros in cash and checks, as well as vehicles, computers, documents, contraband, and laundered fuel were found earlier this month during a cross border investigation undertaken with Northern Ireland. The Murphys own a farm complex that spans both sides of the boarder. They have been under suspicion for decades in connection with money laundering and terrorist financing from a range of activities that has ranged from suspected tax fraud to fuel laundering and smuggling. This investigation links these activities to a large property portfolio being investigated by the UK Assets Recovery Agency.
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=68374
http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=177020322&p=y77xzyxz8
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/front/2006/0315/2778669581HM1OILCOMPANIES.html

Israeli documents released in a Chicago court offer evidence that Muhammad Salah helped finance Hamas. His trial is under way.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0603220083mar22,1,2969758.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed

Brian Perry was shot and killed outside his office. Prosecutors are considering whether his role in laundering money from the Brinks Mat robbery played a part in his apparently professional execution.
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AML/CFT Legislation and Regulation
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The US Treasury designated al Manar, a satellite television operation, al Nour Radio and the Lebanese Media Group, (the parent company to al Manar and al Nour Radio) as specially designated terrorist organizations. They are believed to serve as the media arms of Hezbollah. Al-Manar shrugged off the move and says it will continue its work.
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/js4134.htm
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2004/40081.htm.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=23236#

A UN review of arms embargoes says that States need more support for complying, including technical assistance for improved monitoring of national air spaces and maritime borders as well as the development of means to identify and prosecute those that violate arms embargoes.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=17868&Cr=small&Cr1=arms
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AML/CFT Modalities
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The People's Bank of China has warned lenders to be aware of an influx of counterfeit US $100 bills, which the US believes originate from North Korea.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/23/AR2006032301534.html


4. Emerging Threat Monitor

The Emerging Threat Monitor will be published in print later this year. News highlights from the past week are provided in this free email update, but detailed analysis, background information and source documents are only available to subscribers. For more information, email info@tamni.com.

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ETM Economies and Financial Systems
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At a time when many pension plans are threatened by changing demographics and economic realities, including bankruptcies and poor investments, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has issued new management guidance. Emphasizing that private pension funds must be well managed and transparent, the new guidelines propose use of the prudent person rule to:
* Define an overall investment policy and actively follow it
* Require the governing body to act in the "best interest" of beneficiaries when investing pension plan assets
* Establish internal controls and procedures to effectively implement and monitor the way investments are managed
* Identify and measure the risks to which  the fund is exposed and put in place mechanisms to monitor and manage those risks
http://www.oecd.org/document/20/0,2340,en_2649_201185_36333268_1_1_1_1,00.html
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ETM Environment and Climate Change
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The Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO) reports that all but one of 15 indicators show that diversity is moving in the wrong direction and that unprecedented efforts would be necessary to slow this decline.
http://www.biodiv.org/gbo2/default.shtml

"Wildlife Watching and Tourism" is a new report from the UN Environment Program and the TUI tourism group. Presented at the Convention on Biological Diversity meeting in Brazil, they find a close connection between development and income derived from wildlife viewing. In many cases, live animals have become more profitable than dead ones.
http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=471&ArticleID=5238&l=en

An example of falling diversity comes from the UK's Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the British Trust for Ornithology's Repeat Woodland Bird Survey. Over the past 20 years, 11 of 34 species showed increases over 25 percent, eight decreased more than 25 percent, and birds that migrate long distances have suffered population reductions of as much as 70 percent in some areas. Biodiversity strategy indicators were also updated.
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/woodlandbirdsurvey
http://www.bto.org/research/indicators/england_indicators.htm

University of Arizona researchers writing in Science warn of a catastrophic and irreversible rise in sea levels in the near future, as Arctic and Antarctic melting is rising faster than expected.
http://uanews.org/cgi-bin/WebObjects/UANews.woa/5/wa/SciDetails?ArticleID=12389

China has introduced a five percent tax on disposable wooden chopsticks to encourage reuse and alternate materials that can help preserve forests.
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ETM Human Rights
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The UN Human Rights Commission has met for the last time to end its tenure and hand over its obligations to the new Human Rights Council. These links point to analysis of the history and the transition:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=17904&Cr=rights&Cr1=council
http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=109&sid=6553877&cKey=1142527572000
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/03/24/news/edlet.php
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/23/AR2006032301071.html
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/03/16/global13053.htm

The US House Committee on International Relations, Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations, held hearings to review the US State Department's recent publication, "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2005". Among the testimony were observations of US abuses not included in the report, such as rendition, prisoner abuse, torture and secret detention that support US policies while violating international law.
http://wwwc.house.gov/international_relations/109/af031606.htm

The US Department of Defense is considering new instructions to prohibit military commissions admitting evidence obtained by torture.
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Mar2006/20060322_4579.html
http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/ct/-1wJHA51uPRG/
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ETM Infectious Diseases
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The human toll from avian influenza now exceeds 100. It has spread across Europe, Africa and Asia, recently spreading to Pakistan, Jordan and the Gaza Strip. As of 24 March, 186 reported cases have resulted in 105 deaths - an alarming mortality rate. Research into the deadly virus and ways to mitigate it continues. Last week, it was reported that the H5N1 virus that causes this deadly form of avian influenza has evolved into two distinct subtypes. Geographic expansion has coupled with genetic diversity to potentially increase the potential to cause a human pandemic and complicate vaccine development. On the other hand, University of Wisconsin researchers have discovered a cellular explanation why H5N1 does not yet easily spread from person to person. Yet another report considers the threat to biodiversity posed by diverse species threatened by the highly virulent infection. Finally, note the "Living on Earth" broadcast interview with Dr Harvey Fineberg, who draws comparisons with prior cases such as the 1976 swine flu scare.
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/country/cases_table_2006_03_24/en/index.html
http://www.iceid.org/
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/index.htm
http://www.news.wisc.edu/12345.html
http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=471&ArticleID=5235&l=en
http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.htm?programID=06-P13-00009&segmentID=1

The economic impact of avian influenza continues to spread as well. Compensation and subsidies for affected farmers are under consideration in many areas. The LOMA Information Center warns that almost every line of insurance business would be affected by pandemic influenza, including reduced staff during a period of heavy claims.
http://www.loma.org/pr-AvianFlu.asp

University of Michigan researchers find that global warming is one of the factors that must be considered in the resurgence of malaria in East Africa.
http://www.umich.edu/news/index.html?Releases/2006/Mar06/r031706c

Ohio State University researchers have discovered a previously unknown mechanism that cells use to fight off HIV, leading to a possible new strategy for treatment that would involve a natural host response and so be less susceptible to the increasingly common problem of viral drug resistance.
http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/hivdnarepair.htm
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ETM Legal Systems
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The US Supreme Court has ruled that if one of the occupants of a home is willing to accept a warrantless search, that is voided if another occupant refuses. The unreasonable search provision of the Fourth Amendment was upheld by a five-to-three, but the new Chief Justice John Roberts issued a blistering dissent that begins to indicate new ideological divisions in the court.
http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/05pdf/04-1067.pdf
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-scotus23mar23,1,2650501.story?coll=la-headlines-nation
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/22/AR2006032200743.html
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ETM Social Responsibility
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The European Alliance for Corporate Social Responsibility was launched last week. The goals are explained as follows:
"How can we inspire more European enterprises to go beyond their minimum legal obligations in favour of society and sustainable development? In other words, how can we best encourage a greater business commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (or CSR)? To mobilise the resources and capacities of European enterprises and to make Europe a pole of excellence on CSR, the European Commission has today announced its backing of the launch of a "European Alliance for Corporate Social Responsibility". The new Alliance has an open nature and European enterprises of all sizes are invited to voluntarily express their support. The Alliance is not a legal instrument to be signed by enterprises. It is a political umbrella for new or existing CSR initiatives by large companies, SMEs and their stakeholders. It should lead to new partnerships and new opportunities for all stakeholders in their efforts to promote CSR. Today’s initiative is the follow-up of a broad consultation with all stakeholders in the European Multi-stakeholder Forum on CSR, which presented its final report in 2004. The Commission proposes to re-convene meetings of this Forum in 2006 to review progress on CSR with all stakeholders."
http://www.europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/358&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

"The Power of the Pen and Executive Compensation" by Wayne Guay, John Core and David Larcker describes how the most relevant information about compensation and other issues of governance is often neglected in favor of headline stories regarding excessive pay, which do not substantively change corporate behavior.
http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/index.cfm?fa=viewArticle&id=1431
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ETM Technology
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Researchers from Zurich's Federal Institute of Technology find that a lack of guidelines on nanotechnology could lead to negative publicity like that seen with genetics unless better risk assessment is undertaken.
http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=105&sid=6564675&cKey=1142953007000

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering a program under which companies would voluntarily report information about their use of nanomaterials.
http://www.epa.gov/osa/nanotech.htm

A new organic polymer is being developed, which could eventually replace silicon as the preferred material for some electronic devices. Rather then elaborate techniques used to process silicon, the new material uses simple printing methods that could greatly reduce the cost of display devices such as flat panel screens and electronic paper.
http://www.nature.com/nmat/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/nmat1612.html

The EU has approved six new alternatives to animal testing of drugs and chemicals
http://www.europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/347&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
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ETM Weapons (WMD, Proliferation)
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Ahead of joint South Korea - US military exercises North Korea announced, "Our strong revolutionary might put in place all measures to counter (a) possible U.S. pre-emptive strike.... Pre-emptive strike is not the monopoly of the United States". To evaluate this threat, consider the Center for Nonproliferation Studies new special reporting on North Korea's ballistic missiles capabilities, which says they do not have an operational missile that could hit the continental US but could target South Korea and Japan and is working on longer-range missiles. Export  of missiles is a major source of foreign exchange for North Korea.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-03-21-nkorea-us_x.htm
http://cns.miis.edu/pubs/week/pdf/060321.pdf

While US officials characterize the India-US nuclear cooperation agreement as a way to bring India into the nonproliferation mainstream, many voices are rising in opposition to the risky proposal. Among the, is Richard Speier. In the current issue of "Arms Control Today", his article "U.S. Space Aid to India: On a "Glide Path" to ICBM Trouble?" begins with this summary of a potential side effect:
"In the weeks leading up to this month’s presidential visit to India, the U.S. nonproliferation community has been preoccupied with one facet of President George W. Bush’s push to bolster ties with New Delhi: his proposal for enhanced U.S.-Indian nuclear cooperation. Another element, however, also deserves close scrutiny: proposals, largely unexamined, for greater space ties. Given India’s reported ICBM development, these plans could destabilize international relations and potentially even threaten the United States. The Bush administration risks repeating in India the same errors that previously allowed damaging U.S. space technology transfers to China."
Meanwhile, US officials characterized the agreement as a way to bring India into the nonproliferation mainstream, a meeting at the Nuclear Threat Initiative raised multiple issues, including a warning from Stimson Center president Emeritus Michael Krepon that this is " a major, major geostrategic bet by the administration
http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2006_03/MARCH-IndiaFeature.asp#tablenote11
http://fpc.state.gov/fpc/63542.htm

One hundred countries have signed the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. On 23 March, Slovakia became the first country to ratify the treaty.

Indonesia has rejected a US request to join the Proliferation Security Initiative as a challenge to its national sovereignty and because it runs counter to the International Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The US National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) signed a memorandum of understanding under which they will cooperate in efforts to counter radiological threats and respond to emergencies.
http://www.nnsa.doe.gov/docs/newsreleases/2006/PR_2006-03-10_NA-06-07.htm

A RAND Corporation report assesses three suspected mailroom anthrax incidents at the Pentagon, the Skyline Towers in Fairfax County, Va., and the Defense Intelligence Agency at Bolling Air Force Base, D.C. No anthrax was found. The report finds that the Defense Department followed correct procedures but should improve coordination and notification.
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Mar2006/20060324_4606.html
http://www.rand.org/

A serious outbreak of botulism is under investigation in Thailand, with assistance from international specialists. The 161 villagers infected all ate contaminated preserved bamboo shoots from the same batch, and the most seriously ill were airlifted from the northern province of Nan, where the outbreak occurred, to Bangkok for treatment. Although there is no indication this was a terrorist incident, the bacterium is one that, like anthrax and smallpox, could be used as a biological weapon. Health officials are working closely with scientists and military officers to understand any implications for development of such weapons.

The US Congress rejected the Energy Departments request for $4 million to continue a feasibility study of the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator and an Air Force request for $4.5 million to study attaching the weapon onto the B-2 bomber. Instead, funds were directed towards Air Force research on an earth-penetrating weapon. A Congressional Research Service report identified a number of key issues in the debate:
* There is no formal military requirement for the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator
* The armed services are interested in learning whether the weapon is feasible
* Conversion of a B83 nuclear bomb to an earth penetrator would not involve changing the yield of the weapon;
* The Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator, and probably any other nuclear earth penetrator, would not penetrate the ground deeply enough to contain fallout.
* As a nuclear weapon, a presidential decision to use it would be very difficult.
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/nuke/RL32347.pdf

The US Defense Science Board reports that there are not enough specialists to maintain and develop the InterContinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), and recommends higher salaries to improvement recruitment and retention.
http://www.acq.osd.mil
http://www.acq.osd.mil/dsb/reports/2006-03-Skills_Report.pdf


5. Critical Infrastructure Monitor

The Emerging Threat Monitor will be published in print later this year. News highlights from the past week are provided in this free email update, but detailed analysis, background information and source documents are only available to subscribers. For more information, email .

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CIM Agriculture and Food
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Fungi and soil-living bacteria, instead of artificial fertilizers, are improving crop yields, boosting harvests, and saving money for some developing world farmers, and also represent the biggest source of untapped and unknown life on Earth and thus a potential source of new drugs up to pharmaceutical and industrial products.
http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=471&ArticleID=5236&l=en

The UN Environment Program's new report "International Waters: Regional Assessments in a Global Perspective" finds that agriculture is consuming more water, particularly as people turn towards a more western diet, and poses the biggest threat to supplies of fresh water.
http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=471&ArticleID=5234&l=en
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CIM Banking and Finance
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A UK Court of Appeals overturned a 2004 decision to rule that section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, which covers foreign transactions, does apply to overseas and internet, as well as UK transactions. They ruled that credit card issuers are individually as well as jointly liable with suppliers if the consumer has a valid claim for misrepresentation or breach of contract by the supplier where the price of the purchase is above GBP 100 but no more than GBP 30,000. This allows cardholders to make a claim against the credit card issuer as well as or instead of the supplier.
http://www.oft.gov.uk/News/Press+releases/2006/60-06.htm
http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=453162006

Recent debit card frauds in which security breach notification has been bypassed illustrate common legal loopholes in current US law. Robert Lemos explains this in a recent article:
http://www.securityfocus.com/print/news/11381
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CIM Chemical
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US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Chertoff, speaking at the National Chemical Security Forum, called for industry to advise the federal government how best to regulate chemical plants.
http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interapp/speech/speech_0276.xml
http://www.americanchemistry.com/
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CIM Cybersecurity
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An extremely critical vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer has been identified. It permits memory corruption in a way that can permit arbitrary code execution. In the absence of a new patch to address the problem, Active Scripting support should be disabled.
http://secunia.com/advisories/18680/

Fidelity Investments reported the theft of a laptop computer containing sensitive data on 196,000 participants in Hewlett-Packard's pension plan.
http://today.reuters.com/investing/financeArticle.aspx?type=fundsNews2&storyID=2006-03-23T205939Z_01_N23213937_RTRIDST_0_FINANCIAL-FIDELITY-UPDATE-1.XML

The MetaFisher Trojan is a particularly sophisticated virus that exploits a Windows Metafile flaw to steal personal data, targeting financial information.
http://www.techworld.com/security/news/index.cfm?NewsID=5627&Page=1&pagePos=12&inkc=0
http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=183701982

Recent debit card frauds in which security breach notification has been bypassed illustrate common legal loopholes in current US law. Robert Lemos explains this in a recent article:
http://www.securityfocus.com/print/news/11381

Addressing the phishing threat to identity, Microsoft plans to initiate over 100 legal actions in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/mar06/03-20GPEIPR.mspx

The US House Financial Services Committee has approved legislation that would establish a national standard for consumer data security. Key provisions include:
* Data Protection: All businesses are required to maintain reasonable policies and procedures to protect the security and confidentiality of their sensitive financial personal information relating to any consumer.
* Investigation: Businesses are required to immediately investigate any information reasonably indicating that a data security breach may have occurred.
* Notification: If the potential breach of data security may result in harm or inconvenience to any consumer, then the business is required to notify law enforcement, appropriate regulator(s), and other businesses in the transaction chain.  If the potential breach may result in financial fraud against consumers causing harm or inconvenience, then the consumers must be notified through a uniform mailing.
* Financial Fraud Mitigation: Consumer notification involving sensitive financial identity information must include an offer of free credit-file monitoring for the consumer.
* Uniformity: The legislation extends data protection standards across all business sectors.
http://financialservices.house.gov/news.asp?FormMode=release&id=775&NewsType=1

The Association for Automatic Identification and Mobility (AIM) attempted to refute reported vulnerabilities in RFID security.
http://www.aimglobal.org/members/news/templates/aimpress.asp?articleid=888&zoneid=1
http://www.securityfocus.com/brief/163

The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) addressed information security in two government departments:
"Department of Health and Human Services Needs to Fully Implement Its Program"
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-267
"Continued Progress Needed to Strengthen Controls at the Internal Revenue Service"
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-328
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CIM Defense Industrial Base
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A US Government Accountability Office (GAO) review of Defense logistics considers "Several Factors Limited the Production and Installation of Army Truck Armor during Current Wartime Operations".
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-160
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CIM Energy
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China and Russia have signed an agreement under which Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom will pipe up to 80 billion cubic meters of gas from Siberia to China. Prices have not yet been negotiated.

South Africa is conducting a feasibility study into a second nuclear power station in the Cape, which has been plagued by blackouts, including many caused by persistent failures at the current Koebery nuclear station.

The EU has issued a Green Paper on Energy that sets out a common European Strategy. EU leaders have agreed to enhance energy security, although details have not been worked out.
http://www.europa.eu.int/pol/ener/index_en.htm

Both macro-economic events such as the combination of excess capacity with recession and industry-specific events such as the collapse of Enron explain turmoil in the power industry, as explained in this Wharton article, using the example of California:
http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/index.cfm?fa=viewArticle&id=1429
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CIM Nuclear Reactors, Materials, and Waste
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At the beginning of the week, a fire broke out in a waste disposal facility at the Ohi nuclear power plant in Fukui, Japan. Two workers were hospitalized for smoke inhalation, but there was no radiation leak. This is only one of many accidents associated with Japan's nuclear power industry, which provides a large part of energy demands.

At the end of the week, a court ordered the country's newest reactor to be shut down. The Shika reactor is northwest of Tokyo and only began operating recently. Residents sued over fears of its safety in an earthquake. Pending the result of an appeal, this decision could have significant repercussions across the industry.

The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) reviewed nuclear waste storage at Yucca Mountain, finding that "Quality Assurance at DOE's Planned Nuclear Waste Repository Needs Increased Management Attention".
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-313
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CIM Public Health and Healthcare
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World Tuberculosis Day was marked on 24 March. While the Americas, south-east Asia and the western Pacific are on track to achieve targets for TB control, Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean and Eastern Europe face critical challenges.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2006/pr15/en/index.html

The World Health Organization has developed a new formula for Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) that will help combat acute diarrhea and save the lives of hundreds of thousands of children each year. Diarrhea is the second leading cause of child deaths and kills 1.9 million young children each year.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2006/pr14/en/index.html
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CIM Telecommunications
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Pending congressional approval, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved a plan to establish a Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264395A6.pdf
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CIM Transportation
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The European Union has blacklisted 92 airlines that are banned from operating within the EU based on safety regulations, and three that face operational restrictions. Most of the airlines are based on Africa, including many that provide important internal transit service.
http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/359&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

The UN Security Council has urged member states to use naval vessels and military aircraft to help counter rising cases of piracy and armed robbery off the coast of Somalia.
http://www.imo.org/

While the US dispute over DPW's acquisition of P and O continues to reverberate, the US has contracted with Hutchison Whampoa Ltd to operate radiation detection screening at a Bahamas port without US supervision. The no-bid contract is being questioned by members of congress.

In Nigeria, privatization of sea ports has proceeded apace. One of the largest, Apapa Port, has been handed over to both local and foreign firms. The winning concessionaires for Terminals A and B is Apapa Bulk Terminal Limited will run two terminals, two others were acquired by ENL Consortium, another by Greenview, and the Apapa Container Terminal by AP Moeller.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/north/nt224032006.html

British transport union RMT warns that fire regulations on the London Underground have been dangerously compromised.
http://www.rmt.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=96790
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CIM Water
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Tanzanian villagers have begun using new solar radiation process to sterilize drinking water
http://www.plan-international.org/wherewework/eastafricaeurope/tanzania/pure/
http://www.sodis.ch/

The World Water Forum in Mexico City took place 16-22 March. The 22nd is World Water Day. Conference proceedings, including streaming video, are online at the official web site:
http://www.worldwaterforum4.org.mx
http://www.worldwaterday.org

World Water Day was marked by calls for more equitable distribution and efficient use of a scarce resource. Every day 6,000 people, mostly children, die from dirty water
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/sgsm10378.doc.htm
http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp

Africa Day at the Forum was 20 March. A new report from the African Development Bank finds that the continent has developed only three percent of its technically feasible hydropower potential while only six percent of its cultivated land is irrigated. To remedy this, transparency, human rights, social responsibility, and good governance are needed.
http://www.afdb.org/portal/page?_pageid=293,174339&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&press_item=772875&press_lang=us
http://www.afdb.org/portal/page?_pageid=293,158705&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&focus_item=766453&focus_lang=us

Another new report came from the UN Environment Program. "International Waters: Regional Assessments in a Global Perspective" finds that agriculture is consuming more water, particularly as people turn towards a more western diet, and poses the biggest threat to supplies of fresh water. Falls in river flows, rising saltiness of estuaries, loss of fish and aquatic plant species and reductions in sediments to the coast are expected to rise in many areas of the globe by 2020. These in turn will intensify farmland losses, food insecurity and damage to fisheries along with rises in malnutrition and disease.
http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=471&ArticleID=5234&l=en

And on the eve of World Water Day, the World Development Movement released "Pipe Dreams: The failure of the private sector to invest in water services in developing countries" Key findings include:
* Just half of one per cent of private sector investment has gone to sub-Saharan Africa the area that needs investment in water services the most.
* The public purse is repeatedly used to subsidize or bail out the private sector and pay for new connections.
* In every case where the private sector has been responsible for extending water access in sub-Saharan Africa, it has failed to deliver the promised level of investment.
* 70 per cent of African water privatizations have either been terminated early or are currently in some form of distress.
http://www.wdm.org.uk/news/presrel/current/pipedreams.htm

Previous Newsletter Coverage on this topic is here:
TerrorismCentral Newsletter March 19, on the opening of the meeting
https://terrorismcentral.com/Newsletters/2006/031906.html#5
Water for Life
https://terrorismcentral.com/Newsletters/2005/032705.html#FeatureArticle
Water Infrastructure Security
https://terrorismcentral.com/Newsletters/2004/040404.html#FeatureArticle
Water and Disasters
https://terrorismcentral.com/Newsletters/2004/032804.html#FeatureArticle
World Water
https://terrorismcentral.com/Newsletters/2003/032303.html#FeatureArticle
Water Conflicts
https://terrorismcentral.com/Newsletters/2002/072802.html#FeatureArticle


6. Disaster Reduction Monitor

The Disaster Reduction Monitor will be published in print later this year. News highlights from the past week are provided in this free email update, but detailed analysis, background information and source documents are only available to subscribers. For more information, email info@tamni.com

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DRM Incidents
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A shipwreck off the Atlantic coast of Cameroon has left at least 127 people dead. 23 survivors were taken to hospital in critical condition. Large waves engulfed and tore apart the wooden boat.

Avalanches deaths have hit a new record in the French Alps. 53 people died, making it the worst since records were kept 35 years ago.

A Chilean bus plunged into a ravine, killing 12 US cruise ship passengers en route to a national park. Four other people were injured.

A 5.0 earthquake in Algeria has killed up to seven people and injured 36.

A landslide at the Grasberg mine of PT Freeport Indonesia in Mimika regency buried an employee cafeteria. Two people were killed and a third is missing. The Indonesian government says the Grasberg mine has violated environmental laws and must improve their record over the next few years or legal action would be taken.

Australia's Queensland state is under a state of emergency following the devastation wrought by Tropical Cyclone Larry, a category five storm.
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DRM Response and Recovery
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The US Federal Communications Commission issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to modify the public safety spectrum to accommodate broadband communications.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-06-34A1.pdf

The European Commission is paying nearly Euros 82 million to support emergency costs incurred by Sweden after the severe storm of January 2005.
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DRM Risks
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Risk Management Solutions (RMS) announced that increases to hurricane landfall frequencies in its US hurricane model will increase modeled annualized insurance losses. They will rise by 40 percent on average across the Gulf Coast, Florida, and the Southeast, and by 25-30 percent in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast coastal regions relative to those derived using long-term 1900-2005 historical average hurricane frequencies.
http://www.rms.com/NewsPress/PR_2006_0323_HUActivityRates.asp

Julian James, Lloyd's Director of Worldwide Markets, says that the increasing frequency and severity of catastrophic events means that the time has come for the insurance industry to rethink how it handles catastrophic risks.
http://www.lloyds.com/News_Centre/Features_from_Lloyds/Time_to_rethink_catastrophic_losses.htm
http://www.instimes.co.uk/events/forcesofnature/default.html
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DRM Mitigation
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The American Society of Civil Engineers has identified several issues related to the New Orleans hurricane protection system that it believes warrant immediate attention, as there is no assurance they could protect against even a modest incident. They also criticized the Army Corps of Engineers for failing to use safety standards sufficient to protect the city.
http://www.asce.org/files/pdf/erpletterformat.pdf

The Governor of the US state of Rhode Island released an updated report on compliance with new fire codes, finding that a majority of nightclubs are in compliance with sprinkler and fire alarm provisions of state fire codes, although a significant number still do not have required sprinklers or alarms. These changes were put in place following the February 2003 Station club disaster that killed nearly 100 people.
http://www.ri.gov/GOVERNOR/view.php?id=1572

"Support for British Nationals Abroad: A Guide" was released by Britain's Foreign Office. Responding to Britons caught up in the Asian tsunami, Hurricane, and other disasters, the guide explains what the foreign office can, and can not, do to help. The guide has been published in Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, English, Gujarati, Punjabi, and Urdu.
http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029391638&a=KArticle&aid=1142704222942

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) calls for major steps to mitigate natural catastrophes around the world that killed thousands of people and caused over $200 billion in damages last year alone. Between 1992-2001, natural disasters worldwide were linked to more than 622,000 deaths and affected over 2 billion people, while economic losses from water- and weather-related disasters were estimated at $446 billion, about 65 per cent of the total losses due to all natural disasters. The least developed countries were the worst affected. To mitigate these risks, all countries need the necessary systems, infrastructure, human capacity, organizational structures and technical capacity, to fully utilize and build on early warning systems.  These systems include quake and tidal sensors, speedy communications, alarm networks from radio to cell phones, and disaster preparedness training in vulnerable regions.
http://www.wmo.ch/
http://www.wmo.int/wmd/


7. Recommended Reading

20 March marked the third anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq. During these three years, human intelligence and material acquired from the battlefield shed light on how Iraqi civilian and media leaders viewed the build-up to the war. The "Iraqi Perspective Project" provides a new, unclassified version of a US Department of Defense report that pulls together this material. Among the key findings is that Saddam Hussein was so convinced that the US was unwilling to accept casualties that it would never invade, and an internal revolt was more likely. He also believed that Russia and France would block any invasion in order to protect their own economic interests.

The report can be ordered through our document deliver service or downloaded here:
http://www.jfcom.mil/newslink/storyarchive/2006/ipp.pdf

Summary articles can be read here:
"Report Provides Iraqi Leaders' Perspective of War"
http://www.dod.mil/news/Mar2006/20060324_4604.html
"Saddam's Delusions"
http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20060501faessay85301/kevin-woods-james-lacey-williamson-murray/saddam-s-delusions-the-view-from-the-inside.html

A new book published in conjunction with the anniversary comes from Michael Gordon and General Bernard Trainor. "Cobra II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq" is published by Pantheon.
http://www.randomhouse.com/pantheon/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780375422621

Author interviews can be found here:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5279633
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5279495
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/03/17/1559231

And book reviews here:
http://www.slate.com/id/2138351/
http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=F50711FE3B550C718DDDAA0894DE404482 (subscription)

You can read edited excerpts from the book here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1729806,00.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1729927,00.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1730346,00.html

Also note the Guardian's Slideshow:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/flash/page/0,,1730817,00.html


8. Asset Management Network News

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